First it was red wine, then curry, then wanking, now pizza.
All I need now is for beer to be healthy, especially in megadose quantities, and I'll probably live forever.
Posted to Science and technology by Simon Brunning at July 22, 2003 12:01 PMNice to see such a clear statement of your interests...
Posted by: Tracey on July 22, 2003 12:03 PMNow *that's* a bit unfair, Tracey. I like steak too, you know. ;-)
Posted by: Simon Brunning on July 22, 2003 12:19 PMRight; I'm off to the Halal to protect myself against Alzheimer's.
Hey - this *must* all be true. It's the BBC telling us about it, and they wouldn't lie to us, would they...
Posted by: Simon Brunning on July 22, 2003 12:36 PMfrom http://www.geocities.com/ajrockwell/beerhealth.html
Beer and cancer
»From time to time one hears in the media that beer consumption can cause
cancer. One point must be made clear: According to findings to date -
assuming moderate consumption - neither the alcohol in beer nor its
alcoholic concomitant compounds nor other substances known to be in beer
are carcinogenic.
A study of the causes of death of Dublin brewery workers from 1954 to
1973, found that there were, of course, among other causes, deaths due
to cancer. These brewery workers had beer selected as test subjects
because they were known to drink even more beer than the rest of the
Irish population. The study showed that the life expectancy of the
brewery workers was just as high, even a little higher, than that of the
other test group.
Another study with similar results was carried out in Denmark covering
the occurrence of cancer and the cause of death of 14,313 brewery
workers from 1939 to 1963. The beer consumption of the brewery workers
(an average of 77.7 g alcohol per day!) was four times as high as the
comparative test group.
This long term (24 years) survey also came to the conclusion that the
beer enjoyment of the brewery workers caused no more cancer and no lower
life expectancy. More recent studies have confirmed these results.
I thought that the Denmark study actually isolated a specific carcenogenic substance that, if uncontrolled in the brewing process, is present in the product at levels that do lead to cancer. Also understand that this substance is used to promote the growth of cancers (tumours) in laboratory test animals. Also understand that mainstream breweries around the world are now regulated to minimise the presence of this substance to the extent that manufactured beers are generally regarded as safe; but home brewing is not controlled and the subsatnce is probably present in high concentrations in home brew!!
Can't recall the name of the substance - anyone have any further information please.
Regards to all
Bill
Posted by: Bill McLoughlin on April 13, 2004 03:42 PM